


The Pub Crawl

by freezerjerky



Series: The Passage of Time [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bars and Pubs, Drinking, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 04:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8236628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freezerjerky/pseuds/freezerjerky
Summary: Merlin organizes a pub crawl to celebrate Arthur's birthday.





	

For Arthur's birthday, Merlin plans a pub crawl. He'd have done something more romantic like a dinner or a weekend away, but he wasn't really Arthur's proper boyfriend until a few days prior. So he asks some people who he thinks Arthur wouldn't mind spending a few hours with and they head out immediately after dinner to visit five different pubs in Central London.

 

I.  
The first pub is a standard enough pub: there's a dining room upstairs, bar area downstairs. Leon buys everyone the first round like the gentleman he is and they all drink to another happy year for Arthur. For his part, Arthur is very pleased that Merlin organized anything on so short of notice. Though he wouldn't have minded a night spent in bed, either. He supposes that's the difference between seeing someone and being someone's boyfriend.

Mordred is awkward at the first pub, because it's the first time he's seen Arthur outside of a work context. It's probably not the most professional thing to invite him, but Mordred's more or less a hanger-on of Freya and really anything to deflect from the fact that perfectly lovely Freya had dated Merlin for a long while was for the best. Arthur's mate from uni, Elena, makes sure he has an extra shot and then enters a competition with Gwaine for who can collect the most numbers in the night.

"You do realize," Elena challenges. "That you never stood a chance, right?"

Gwaine laughs and chugs half of his beer. "Listen, I'm not good at many things, but this is one of the things I excel at."

Elena leans forward, close to Gwaine. "I'm good at everything and this is one of the things I'm best at."

For the first time that night, Gwaine's certain he's a little bit in love.

 

II.  
At the second pub, a random stranger hears it's someone's birthday and buys Arthur three very potent shots. This pub doesn't even pretend to have a proper dining area. When Mordred, a bit peckish now that he's had some to drink, asks for something to eat, the bartender retorts that they only have fish and chips. Mordred's not tipsy enough to abandon his goal of a vegetarian lifestyle, so he opts just for chips. He's so busy eating he almost gets left behind. (Leon, thankfully, remembers to go back for him.)

The birthday boy himself is apparently very amorous once he's slightly more than tipsy and spends about half the time at the second pub trying to convince Merlin to go to a back corner for a snog. Merlin only refuses because Gwaine pulls him away to be his wingman so that he can get more numbers than Elena. They both leave the pub with three numbers, though two of them are from the same person. Gwaine whines on the walk to the second pub that Merlin's wingman technique was flawed with Arthur sticking his hand into his back pocket every three seconds.

Elena just smirks and reminds Gwaine that she had no wingman at all. 

 

III.  
The third pub is a popular gay pub that Merlin used to frequent when he was single. The bartender recognizes Merlin immediately and buys him a shot. Arthur pouts, probably a bit too noticeably, and gets one himself. Because the bartender is flirting in the general direction of Merlin, Arthur continues to insist that his hand belongs in Merlin's back pocket. Merlin really doesn't mind in the least and they end up off in a corner where they (finally) get to snog.

Leon should feel like the oddest man out, but a bloke buys him a drink and they discuss footie. Gwaine's taken to using Mordred as his wingman now, which actually works out well because Mordred has an innocent expression. Freya and Elena end up playing pool and despite it being a gay bar habitated mostly by men, Elena manages to get the numbers of a tall redheaded woman and Freya (though that's for friendship purposes, Freya lets her count it.)

"We should probably stop them," Elena says, gesturing to Merlin and Arthur in their corner that's far less secluded than they think.

Freya laughs. She's just glad Merlin found someone who seems to suit him so well. "You mean before they disappear into the loo never to be seen again?"

"I mean because I've got two more pubs to go to and I can't get a lot of numbers here, but that too."

 

IV.  
The fourth pub is a lot calmer and they manage to find a tall table to sit at as they drink their pints. Arthur's hand has found its way to a new, more appropriate place (Merlin's knee) and there's a general mellow feeling around the room. Leon's telling some story about the very first trial he worked and everyone's half in love with him when Merlin's face suddenly lights up and he waves over two men.

One of the men is about average height, with soft looking curls and dark eyes, he looks a bit like the hero out of a romance novel. Merlin introduces him first as Lance, a veterinarian who volunteers at a shelter Merlin also volunteers at. The second man is tall and incredibly well built, his hair is short and he's modestly dressed in jeans and a tshirt. He's introduced as Percy, another volunteer and a primary school teacher. Gwaine's jaw noticeably drops when he first notices the man and for the second time that night he's a little bit in love. This time it sticks a bit longer.

"It's Arthur's birthday," Merlin explains to the newcomer. "Arthur- my boyfriend Arthur," he clarifies, swelling a bit with pride.

"Well happy birthday to Arthur," Lance replies. "I think everyone needs some shots to celebrate."

Lance heads off to buy them all shots and Gwaine shifts so it's clear the seat next to him is empty. Percy takes the seat and offers Gwaine a smile.

When Lance comes back with a rather large tray of shots, everyone realizes they'll definitely be staggering home that night.

 

V.  
The fifth pub isn't really a pub at all but a proper night club. They gather round as Arthur's instructed to do a rather complicated shot called a blowjob and Merlin's more than drunk enough to not be embarrassed by the jokes that follow. Merlin's friends from the previous pub have joined them, meaning Gwaine's mostly given up on his endeavors to get the most numbers and Elena most definitely pulls ahead.

Leon and Lance end up watching everyone else as they move across the club, talking about sport and their jobs as they lean against the bar. Merlin and Arthur have continued their knack for seeking out back corners, while the others dance with each other on and off, between fetching drinks or finding someone to flirt with. When the club starts to fill with what's definitely a surge of uni students, the two decide it's time to round up the group to head outside. The night air will sober everyone up enough to head home, surely.

Like a mother hen, Leon gets a head count of everyone, making sure no one got left behind. Of course, Mordred comes rushing out then, looking a bit bashful. That earns him a few comments about apparently chatting up a blonde. It's an awkward moment, standing outside of the pub, saying goodbyes. Elena gives everyone a very dramatic cheek kiss and Gwaine insists on hugging everyone. Percy and Lance thank everyone for being so welcoming and Percy hesitates for a few moments before asking for Gwaine's phone to give him his number. That's the ultimate victory for the night, and though he's going home alone, he's got no complaints.

Arthur's very concerned for little Mordred's well being, until Merlin reminds him that Mordred lives with Freya and they'll be more than fine. Still, he dramatically tells Mordred he'll give him a raise soon enough and maybe his own office. Thankfully for Arthur, and his wallet, the cab arrives then and they head back to his flat.

 

"I think you're great," Arthur says, as soon as they're safely inside his flat.

Merlin chuckles. "Thanks, I think you're great too." He rubs at his cheek, remembering that Elena was wearing very bold lipstick that night. It only makes it smear more. "Did you have a nice birthday?"

"Hmm, woke up to a very naked you, spent the early part of the day in bed, ate takeaway for lunch, then went out with some interesting people. Nah, it was awful."

"What's the difference between very naked and just regular naked?"

"Very naked is touching you," Arthur clarifies, though nothing's really clear at that moment. "Tonight will just be...regular naked." Not that Arthur would mind sex, but Merlin's far too drunk after the night out, after all.

"Regular naked is fine by me." They both strip down more or less on the way to the bedroom and fall onto the bed. Merlin's in just his boxer briefs and there's a sock dangling off his foot. Arthur at least managed to get everything off before snuggling in close.

"Are you always this cold?" Arthur asks as he snakes an arm around his waist.

"Only when I want to entice you into warming me up."

"Mm, wake me tomorrow and I'll get you nice and warmed up."

Merlin snorts and they share some very lazy, very tired kisses before the telltale sound of Arthur's snoring signals that he's dozed off. The day has been a success.


End file.
